Frustrated

I was sitting in front of the computer tonight wondering what I was going to blog about. I started to get just a little frustrated because nothing was coming to mind. Nothing. And then I got frustrated. This is my outlet. This is what I do to get creative and let all the junk out. You see, I am a frustrated writer. And apparently, things haven't changed much.

I get these really great ideas for books. Some are for romance, which I love. I know what you're saying. They are all the same. No, they really aren't. You haven't read one in a while if you think that. And there is some really great writing that goes into a romance novel. It wouldn't have such a large audience if it wasn't. I have written several scenes on the Harlequin web site that got really good feedback from some of the others on the web site. Most of the people on the web site are struggling writers, but there are quite a few that have been published. I like to get feed back from published writers that appreciate what I've done. I also am going to enter their "snippetthon". It's basically where you get to use part of a work in progress just to let everyone know what you are doing. It is copyrighted so if you see it somewhere else you can say "Hey, that's mine".

I have some ideas for more modern life stories. I have always been an observer and I love to ask questions. I have had perfect strangers open up their life to me after knowing them for all of 10 seconds. But something in the conversation just sparks an idea that screams at me. I had a woman at church, first time visitor, talk to me about a friend that lives with her family that she has become really close to. They thought about having an affair with each other. Her marriage was on the rocks and had been for many years. What do you say? But, later, I thought what a great story that would make. And how do you reconcile those feelings? I saw her at church this Sunday and she said were much better. She didn't elaborate, but think about where that story could go.

I love to read books by authors like Dean Koontz. I have really enjoyed his "Odd Thomas" series that he has written. But the first book I ever read by him was "Whispers". It scared the crap out of me. Not so much because of the paranormal factor. That actually didn't play into it at all. It was how scewed up society can become. The mental torture that some people have to endure that changes how they are, who they are, and what they are. Sometimes you think that those things could never happen. Then you see a story similar to that on the news.

I have read alot of Michael Crichton. I had started reading "Jurassic Park" right after the movie came out. I couldn't get into it to save my life. I actually did something that I very rarely do, I put it down. I don't do that often. Iam one of those people that has to finish it, no matter what. But I couldn't finish that one. I eventually saw the movie in the theater. A couple of weeks after I decide to try reading it again. And I loved it. Of course, it was nothing like the movie. I should say that the movie was nothing like the book. But what a great book it turned out to be. And that lead me to his other books. My favorite was "Eaters of the Dead". That was a great book. It was turned into a movie as well, "The 13th Warrior". That was several years ago, but I still haven't seen it. I had a friend tell me it was really a good movie and was one of his favorites. But I still have a hard time with it.

One of the first things I always did when I moved to a new city was find the library. I love the library. Did you know I have read my way through two libraries? Every book. When I was in third grade, I was too far ahead of everyone else. But instead of promoting me to the fourth grade, I had to sit in the library for weeks at a time. What else was I going to do? I read every book in the Liberty Elementary library at that time. Good thing the school year was almost over by the time I was done. I also read my way through a whole box of SRA cards in the fourth grade. I was the first to do that as well. The second library was on the USAF base in Alamagordo, NM. My dad would drop me off with lunch and enough money for the soda machine and a phone call. He had to work all day and it was better than sitting in front of the TV all day. All the librarians got to know me that summer. I would read all day and end up taking at least 6 books home with me. I still never got enough. When I started reading books from the adult section, the librarians knew something was up.

I am trying very desperately to pass my love of the written word to my children. My oldest is quite the reader. My boy will read, and enjoys it, but he prefers to play the video game. And the baby is just learning to read this year. We'll see if I can get any of my kids to read through a library. Or at least read part of a library.

With all that I've read, it's no wonder that I love to write. I know the types of subjects I like to read and enjoy. They are wide and varied. Just about the only genre I don't get much into is science fiction. For some reason I just don't enjoy it that much. I'll read it if I have to, but it's not at the top of my list.

Well, apparently, I am not that much of a frustrated writer tonight. Thank goodness. I thought I might be losing my touch. We'll see what kind of trouble I can get into and maybe I'll write about that. My hubby says I'll just end up selling the movie rights and make us rich. I'm already rich in love, but it would be nice to pad the bank account a little.